Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are offering this lovely Silver Plated Art Nouveau Table Gong, complete with its original Striker by the Birmingham Company of William Suckling & Co. The gong is supported on a flat plinth base, with four shaped outswept feet at the corners. It has two forked uprights to hold the striker, which has a well polished, turned oak handle. There is a carrying handle at the top.

The gong bears an impressed stamp on the top front, of a Burmese man wearing a gaung baung or Burmese kerchief or turban on his head with two hammers or axes, one behind each shoulder. Underneath is stamped the word Burmese. We do not know whether the gongs were conmissioned in Burma and stamped with William Suckling's mark at the time of manufacture, or whether they were made in Birmingham, but we do know, thanks to oldcopper.org, that this mark is Design No.281240 in the list of Registered Designs in the National Archives in Kew which was registered in 1896, by William Suckling & Co. of 35 Albion Street, Birmingham, who were electroplate and specialist gong manufacturers. Their gongs were very well made and have a very good tone, as does this one.

Height: 13" - 33cm

Width: 11" - 28cm

Depth: 3 7/8" - 9.8cm

Materials: Silver Plated Brass & Oak

Condition: Very good. There is some very fine pitting to the surface, mainly to the flat surface of the plinth and a couple of nibbles to the bottom edge of the apron to the plinth along the front, as can be seen. The Striker is in very good condition. There is slight wear to the silver plated surface consistent with age and use.